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Showing results for tags 'Innovation'.
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News ArticleFive promising technologies that could help improve symptoms and quality of life for people with Parkinson’s disease have been conditionally recommended by NICE. The wearable devices have sensors that monitor the symptoms of people with Parkinson’s disease while they go about their day-to-day life. This information may more accurately record a person’s symptoms than a clinical assessment during in-person appointments and help inform medication decisions and follow up treatment such as physiotherapy. Parkinson's disease is an incurable condition that affects the brain, resulting in progressive loss of coordination and movement problems. It is caused by loss of the cells in the brain that are responsible for producing dopamine, which helps to control and coordinate body movements. Mark Chapman, interim director of Medical Technology at NICE, said: “Providing wearable technology to people with Parkinson’s disease could have a transformative effect on their care and lead to changes in their treatment taking place more quickly. “However there is uncertainty in the evidence at present on these five promising technologies which is why the committee has conditionally recommended their use by the NHS while data is collected to eliminate these evidence gaps. “We are committed to balancing the best care with value for money, delivering both for individuals and society as a whole, while at the same time driving innovation into the hands of health and care professionals to enable best practice.” Read full story Source: NICE, 27 October 2022
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News ArticleMore than 900 invitees converged on Manchester Central last night to find out which projects would emerge winners in the latest edition of our Patient Safety Awards. The awards recognise and reward the hard-working teams and individuals who, in these times of austerity, pay restraints and workforce shortages, are striving to deliver improved patient care. HSJ correspondent Annabelle Collins gave a welcome speech before comedian and writer Justin Moorhouse hosted the event, which was held at the end of the first day of the Patient Safety Congress. Ms Collins said: “Not only are you treating more and more patients, in difficult circumstances, you’re treating them safely and innovating during a time when the health service is being told by the government to be more efficient. To do more, with less. I think this makes your work and achievements even more special. This year, the awards were presented under four key areas: Clinical and specialist excellence; Enacting organisation-wide change; Proactive prevention and harm avoidance; and Service/system innovation. Read about the winners Source: HSJ, 25 October 2022
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News Article
New research collaboration to improve patient safety
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
University College London Hospitals (UCLH) is to host to a new collaboration researching patient safety, after being awarded £3 million in funding from the National Institute for Health and Care Research. The NIHR Central London Patient Safety Research Collaboration (PSRC) aims to improve safety in Surgical, Perioperative, Acute and Critical care (SPACE) services, which treat more than 25 million NHS patients annually. Perioperative care is care given at and around the time of surgery. Amongst the highest risk clinical settings are SPACE services because of the seriousness of the patients’ conditions and the complex nature of clinical decision making. Further risks arise at the transitions of care between SPACE services and other parts of the health and social care system. The research team led by UCLH and UCL will develop and evaluate new treatments and care pathways for SPACE services. This will include new interventions such as surgical and anaesthetic techniques, and new approaches to predicting and detecting patient deterioration. They will also help the NHS become safer for patients through the development of innovative approaches to organisational learning, and to how clinical evidence is generated. The PSRC’s learning academy will support the next generation of patient safety researchers through a comprehensive programme of funding, mentoring and peer support. The team includes frontline clinicians, policy makers and world-leading academics across a range of scientific disciplines including social and data science, mechanical and software engineering. Patients and the public representing diverse backgrounds are key partners in the collaboration. Professor Moonesinghe said: “We have a great multidisciplinary, multiprofessional team ready to deliver a truly innovative programme to improve patient safety in these high-risk clinical areas. As a uniquely rich research environment, UCLH and UCL are well placed to lead this work, and we are looking forward to collaborating with clinicians and patients across the country to ensure impact for the whole population which the NHS serves.” -
News Article
Over £800 million to boost innovation, growth and improve patient safety
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Patients up and down the country are set to benefit from innovative new treatments and improved delivery of health and care services following significant funding to support ground-breaking experimental medicine research and advance the UK’s response to patient safety challenges. £790 million to support breakthroughs in new treatments, diagnostics and medical technology to improve patients’ lives and bolster the economy. £25 million for research on patient safety to improve the safe delivery of health and care and better address health challenges, such as cancer treatment and reducing medication error. Exceeds funding commitments to boost research across all areas of the country, levelling up innovation and addressing health inequalities. The government has announced that over £800 million of funding, to be allocated by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), will go to support specialist research facilities bringing together scientists to create an environment where experimental medicine and patient safety research can thrive. This boost to the country’s research infrastructure will see further investment in scientific expertise which supports access to innovative technology and novel research projects. As well as this, it will improve regional economic growth through employment opportunities, giving private sector organisations confidence to continue to invest in research across the country. Read full story Source: GOV.UK, 14 October 2022 -
Content ArticleThe Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch's (HSIB's) local investigation pilot aimed to evaluate the organisation's ability to carry out effective locality-based patient safety investigations with actions aimed at specific NHS organisations, while still identifying and sharing relevant national learning. It differs from HSIB's usual national investigations, which make safety recommendations to organisations that can make changes at a national level across the NHS in England. The pilot published three investigations focused on cross boundary and multi-agency safety events: Investigation 1: incorrect patient identification Investigation 2: incorrect patient details on handover Investigation 3: transfer of a patient with a stroke to emergency care The report summarises how the HSIB local investigation pilot was undertaken, and shares findings applicable to local healthcare systems including healthcare organisations and Integrated Care Systems.
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News ArticleVery sick babies and children will be diagnosed and start treatment more quickly thanks to a “revolutionary” new genetic testing service being launched by the NHS. Doctors will gain vital insights within as little as two days into what illnesses more than 1,000 newborns and infants a year in England have from the rapid analysis of blood tests. Until now, when doctors suspected a genetic disorder, such tests have sometimes taken weeks as they had to be done in a sequential order to rule out other possible diagnoses, delaying treatment. NHS England bosses say the service could save the lives of thousands of seriously ill children over time and will usher in “a new era of genomic medicine”. The clinical scientists, genetic technologists and bioinformaticians will carry out much faster processing of DNA samples, including saliva and other tissue samples as well as blood. They will share their findings with medical teams and patients’ families. “This global first is an incredible moment for the NHS and will be revolutionary in helping us to rapidly diagnose the illnesses of thousands of seriously ill children and babies, saving countless lives in the years to come,” said Amanda Pritchard, NHS England’s chief executive. Read full story Source: The Guardian, 12 October 2022 Further hub reading Genetic profiling and precision medicine – the future of cancer treatment
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Event
THIS Space 2022
Patient Safety Learning posted an event in Community Calendar
untilOrganised by The Healthcare Improvement Studies Institute, THIS Space aims to share learning on what works in healthcare improvement, what doesn’t, and why. This year there are over 30 speakers and more opportunities for networking and interaction with colleagues, sessions on imaginative ways of understanding problems and evaluating solutions, and updates on the latest evidence. THIS Space aims to: provide a focus for knowledge sharing in healthcare improvement stimulate innovation and fresh thinking help researchers to develop the habits, knowledge, skills, and experiences to support their professional growth connect colleagues from across different disciplines who share a common goal be a means of accelerating the development of the field of the study of healthcare. For researchers, patients, carers, NHS staff and anyone with an interest in the evidence base for improving the quality and safety of healthcare. Register -
Content ArticleDigital technologies have the potential to transform surgery and medical device manufacturers are now evolving to advance this technology-driven revolution. So, how could ‘digital surgery’ lead to reduced variation, improved outcomes, and increased efficiency? Pioneering medical technology firms are transforming the way surgical care is being delivered, driving a revolution in what has been coined ‘digital surgery’. One of the key innovators in this field is Johnson & Johnson MedTech. The Clinical Services Journal spoke to the J&J MedTech UK & Ireland leadership team to gain an insight into how technology is changing surgical approaches and improving outcomes for patients
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EventuntilLocal public health systems have recently been tested to an unprecedented degree. The pandemic response since March 2020 has necessitated the scaling up of diagnostic and testing capacity, enhanced collaborative working across the health system and a rapidly assembled nationwide vaccination programme. This free online event from the King's Fund will provide an opportunity to share experiences and lessons from the public health response to the pandemic, including how local systems have mobilised and collaborated, the barriers faced by those designing and delivering services and priorities for ensuring the NHS and wider public health system are equipped to tackle any future public health crisis. Recognising the link between inequalities and pandemic-related health outcomes, our expert panel will also explore ways to increase vaccine uptake in deprived communities and share data across local areas to inform the response. This discussion will consider the role of innovation and those involved at a place and system level in the response to emerging health security concerns and the challenges that remain for integration between health system partners. Register
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News Article
Radar that checks people living with Parkinson’s in their own home
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
A miniature radar system that tracks a person as they walk around their home could be used to measure the effectiveness of treatments for Parkinson’s. The disease, which affects about 145,000 people in the UK, is linked to the death of nerve cells in the brain that help to control movement. With no quick diagnostic test available at present, doctors must usually review a patient’s medical history and look for symptoms that often develop only very slowly, such as muscle stiffness and tremors. The device, about the size of a wi-fi router, is designed to give a more precise picture of how the severity of symptoms changes, both over the long term and hourly. It sits in one room and emits radio signals that bounce off the body of a patient. Using artificial intelligence it is able to recognise and lock on to one individual. Over several months it will notice if their walking speed is becoming slower in a way that indicates that the disease is becoming worse. During a single day it can also recognise periods where a person’s strides quicken, which means that it could be used to monitor the effectiveness of new and existing drugs, even where the effects last a relatively short time. “This really gives us the possibility to objectively measure how your mobility responds to your medication. Previously, this was nearly impossible to do because this medication effect could only be measured by having the patient keep a journal,” said Yingcheng Liu, a graduate student at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) who is part of the team behind the device. Read full story (paywalled) Source: The Times, 22 September 2022- Posted
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News Article
AI eye checks can predict heart disease risk in less than minute, finds study
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
An artificial intelligence (AI) tool that scans eyes can accurately predict a person’s risk of heart disease in less than a minute, researchers say. The breakthrough could enable ophthalmologists and other health workers to carry out cardiovascular screening on the high street using a camera – without the need for blood tests or blood pressure checks – according to the world’s largest study of its kind. Researchers found AI-enabled imaging of the retina’s veins and arteries can specify the risk of cardiovascular disease, cardiovascular death and stroke. They say the results could open the door to a highly effective, non-invasive test becoming available for people at medium to high risk of heart disease that does not have to be done in a clinic. “This AI tool could let someone know in 60 seconds or less their level of risk,” the lead author of the study, Prof Alicja Rudnicka, told the Guardian. If someone learned their risk was higher than expected, they could be prescribed statins or offered another intervention, she said. Speaking from a health conference in Copenhagen, Rudnicka, a professor of statistical epidemiology at St George’s, University of London, added: “It could end up improving cardiovascular health and save lives.” Read full story Source: The Guardian, 4 October 2022 -
Content ArticleIn this blog, Melanie Ottewill, National Investigator and Senior Investigation Science Educator at HSIB, shares some key messages from a recent seminar delivered by Tracey Herlihey, Head of Patient Safety Incident Response Policy and Lauren Mosley, Head of Patient Safety Implementation at NHS England. The seminar looked at the new Patient Safety Incident Response Framework (PSIRF) published in August 2022. PSIRF fundamentally shifts how the NHS responds to patient safety incidents for learning and improvement, promoting a proportionate approach to responding to patient safety incidents. It focuses on ensuring resources allocated to investigating and learning are balanced with those needed to deliver improvement. Melanie describes the cultural shift needed to implement PSIRF so it really makes a difference, and talks about the important of compassionate engagement.
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Content ArticleThe National Quality Board (NQB) has refreshed its Shared Commitment to Quality to support those working in health and care systems. The publication provides a nationally-agreed definition of quality and a vision for how quality can be effectively delivered through ICSs. The refresh has been developed in collaboration with systems and people with lived experience and has a stronger focus on population health and health inequalities. The NQB was set up in 2009 to promote the importance of quality across health and care on behalf of NHS England and Improvement, NHS Digital, the Care Quality Commission, the Office of Health Promotion and Disparities, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, Health Education England, the Department of Health and Social Care and Healthwatch England.
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Content ArticleThis letter to the editor published in The Journal of Biomedical Research outlines the ways in which simulation will be used in medical education in the future. The author highlights that: simulation is likely to become much more closely linked to assessment in the future. our vision of what constitutes simulation will change radically in the future, with access to simulation becoming easier and wider. the future of simulation in medical education will follow the same path as the future of healthcare—more primary care, management of long term conditions and patient self-management.
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Content ArticleThis article looks at the enormous growth in the use of clinical simulation that has happened over the last 20 years, examining why simulation is an effective tool in training healthcare professionals and how it can be applied to different healthcare topics and settings. The authors look at the history of simulation in medical training, theories related to simulation, the typology of simulation, the importance of simulation education during the Covid-19 pandemic and current trends and innovation in simulation education.
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Content ArticleThe US President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) consists of individuals from sectors outside of the US Federal Government who advise the President on policy matters where the understanding of science, technology and innovation is key. This is the recording of a live-streamed meeting of PCAST, where invited speakers presented opportunities to advance scientific innovation, including improving patient safety.
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Content ArticleThe UK health system is under unprecedented strain. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated these pressures, but it did not create them. The Academy of Medical Royal Colleges and its member organisations believe that as a country we are not facing up to the scale of the current challenges and we are not producing any coherent strategy to tackle the problems. Only when we confront these challenges will we be able to begin to fix the NHS. A combination of pressures means that the system is providing care and services which are sub-standard, threaten patient safety and fall below what should be expected in a country with the resources of the United Kingdom. If we do not act with urgency, we risk permanently normalising the unacceptable standards we now witness daily, to the detriment of us all.
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Content ArticleA digital transformation is underway in healthcare and health technology. But what exactly do the smart hospitals of the future look like? Are we heading for a fully virtual health experience? Whether it’s AI and machine learning, or another form of innovation – it’s clear to see that health tech, and healthcare, is changing drastically. The words “smart hospital” and “virtual hospital wards” have eased their way into our vocabulary – and they will soon be the driving force of healthcare everywhere. So what would smart hospitals look like? And what should we be expecting between now and 2050? Health Tech World asked some of the leading experts in the field to give us their predictions as well as their expertise on what the healthcare of the next few decades will look like.
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Content ArticlePatients are becoming increasingly involved in their health through technology such as health apps, and regulators are already struggling to control the market without constraining innovation. Clinical Safety must therefore adapt to the ever-changing world of health apps, if it is to fulfil its purpose and ensure that only the safest technologies are used by patients. In this blog, GP Tom Micklewright looks at some of the safety issues relating to health apps. He highlights that unlike with other new systems, health apps are rarely deployed in a controlled environment, which can cause problems when trying to apply clinical safety standards to them. He looks at five of the issues health apps can cause for safety teams: Intended scope and use Updated health apps Clinical safety, health apps and AI Different places, different features Monitoring clinical safety He then offers some potential solutions to these problems: Continuous assessment of health apps Centralise clinical safety, don’t localise Differentiated approach to clinical safety Aggregated incident reporting
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Content ArticleHardeep Singh, an informatics leader, patient safety advocate and innovator has been awarded the Individual Achievement Award in the 20th John M. Eisenberg Patient Safety and Quality Awards for demonstrating exceptional leadership and scholarship in patient safety and healthcare quality through his substantive lifetime body of work. Eric Thomas speaks to Hardeep in an interview for the Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety.
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Content Article
In this interview for Pharmacy Update Online, Patient Safety Learning's Chief Executive Helen Hughes talks about how the hub was established to provide free, easily-accessible information about patient safety for everyone. "By everyone we mean literally everyone–the hub was designed by and for clinicians, patient safety experts, patients, family members, policy makers, academics–everyone. We wanted a knowledge repository, all in one place, that people could find easily and use to inform their campaigning, their work, their education.” Helen describes how the hub's audience and reach has grown over the three years since it was launched—the hub has had a million page views from people in more than 200 countries, and 450,000 unique users. Although it was started as a UK-based resource, over time more people around the world have found out about it. Helen also discusses Patient Safety Learning's work to make patient safety a core purpose of healthcare, and the vital nature of patient involvement in patient safety. -
Content Article
This year's World Patient Safety Day, due to take place on Saturday 17 September 2022, will focus on medication safety, promoting safe medication practices to prevent medication errors and reducing medication-related harm. In this blog for the hub, Laurence Goldberg, an independent pharmaceutical consultant, looks at how we can reduce drug administration errors by the provision of medicines in a ‘ready-to-administer’ format where no manipulation is required before administration to the patient. -
News ArticleHardeep Singh, an informatics leader, patient safety advocate and innovator, and friend of the Jewish Healthcare Foundation (JHF), has been awarded the Individual Achievement Award in the 20th John M. Eisenberg Patient Safety and Quality Awards for demonstrating exceptional leadership and scholarship in patient safety and healthcare quality through his substantive lifetime body of work. The Joint Commission and National Quality Forum present Eisenberg Awards annually to recognise major achievements to improve patient safety and healthcare quality. Dr Singh, chief of the Health Policy, Quality & Informatics Program in the Center for Innovations in Quality, Effectiveness and Safety at Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center and professor at Baylor College of Medicine, was recognised for his pioneering career in diagnostic and health IT safety and his commitment to translating his research into pragmatic tools, strategies, and innovations for improving patient safety. His commitment to improving patient safety began while pursuing his Master of Public Health at the Medical College of Wisconsin in 2002 when he first learned the field of patient safety existed. That commitment was galvanised early in his medical career, as he found himself treating patients who had been misdiagnosed, received unsafe care, or experienced poor outcomes. The breadth and depth of Dr Singh's research work is remarkable, but what is most notable is the extent to which he has succeeded in translating it into pragmatic strategies and innovations for improving patient safety. Dr. Singh emphasised that while the Eisenberg Award recognizes an individual for their achievements, his work in patient safety has been successful because of its multi-disciplinary and collaborative approach with psychologists, human factors engineers, social scientists, informaticians, patients, and more. That work has led to the development of several tools to improve patient safety, including The Safer Dx Checklist, which helps organizations perform proactive self-assessment on where they stand in terms of diagnostic safety. "As an immigrant and an international medical graduate, I have had a lifelong dream to make an impact on health care. I saw every scientific project as an opportunity to change health care. So, I made a personal commitment that my research must use a pragmatic, real-world improvement lens and challenge the status quo in quality and safety," Dr. Singh said. Read full story Source: Jewish Healthcare Foundation News, 31 August 2022
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Content ArticleIn the UK, over 26% of adults take prescription medications and in the US the figure is around 66%. But up to 50% of patients fail to take their medications as prescribed. As healthcare steadily pivots towards digital health, Dr. Bertalan Meskó and Dr. Pranavsingh Dhunno ask how new technologies can improve medication management. In this article for The Medical Futurist, they look at the importance of empowering patients to reduce the risk of medication errors. They highlight five medication management technologies that could help patients improve their own medication safety: Smart pill dispensers which deliver audible and visual cues to remind patients to take medications at the right time Medication reminder apps which help manage medication regimens and can sync the data with a caregiver or doctor Digital therapeutics which support patients to make treatment decisions Digital pills which integrate tracking technology into pills themselves Telemedical platforms that allow patients to request advice or raise concerns with their doctors.
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Content Article
This year, the World Health Organisation’s annual World Patient Safety Day on 17 September 2022 will focus on medication safety, promoting safe medication practices to prevent medication errors and reducing medication-related harm. Patient Safety Learning has pulled together some useful resources from the hub about different aspects of medication safety. Here we list seven tools and articles related to patient engagement and medication safety, including an interview with a patient advocate campaigning for transparency in medicines regulation, a blog outlining family concerns around prescribing and consent, and a number of projects that aim to enhance patient involvement in using medications safely.
